Method for producing acyl derivatives of the dihydrofollicle hormone and resulting product



' UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD FOR PRODUCING ACYL DERIVA- TIVES OF THE DIHYDBOFOLLICLE HOB- MONE AND RESULTING PRODUCT Friedrich Hildebrandt, Hohen Neuendorf, near Berlin, Germany, and Erwin Sohwenk, Bloomfield, N. 1., assignors to Schcring Aktiengeselllohaft, Berlin, Germany, a corporation of Ger- No Drawing. Application February 8, 1988,

. Serial No. 62,680

19 Chime. (CL 260-397) This invention relates in a method for 'pro- 1 gram of dihydrofollicle hormone of the meltducing acyl derivativea'of the dihydrofollicle ing point 172-173 C., obtained as described in hormone. our copending application Ser. No. 694,686, filed This application is a continuation-in-part of Oct. 21, 1933, and having the following struc- 5- our application Ser. No. 894,687, filed October 21, tural formula 5 1933, Patent No. 2,039,414, dated May 6, 1936, en- Om titled Method of producing follicle hormone hyn drates, and application Ber. No. 703,602, filed December 22, 1933, Patent No. 2,038,487, dated v 1' March 10, 1938, entitled "Acyl derivatives of the dihydrofollicle hormone and method of' making the same". In said latter application, there was described amethod wherein an acylating agent was caused to act upon the dihydrofollicle hormone in the is dissolved in as little glacial acetic acid pospresence of suitable solvents, whereby there was formed mono and di-esters of said hormone. In the earlier of said applications, we had described '20 a process wherein an acylating agent was caused 3o follicle hormone in the presence of certain strong acids, such as hydrohalogen acids, for instance, hydrobromic and hydriodic sulphonic acids such as benzene or toluene sulphonic acid, or the like.

Thereby besides diacyl compounds and other 85 by-products monoacyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone are obtained having .the following structural formula wherein R represents an scyl group. The following example illustrates the invensible. 100 cc. of a glacial acetic acid-hydrobromic acid mixture (3:2) are added to this solution while cooling with ice. The reaction mixture first becomes golden-yellowish and then gradually somewhat deeper in shade. After al- I lowing the solution to stand for two days, whereby it becomes entirely clear and free from crystals, it is poured into about 500 cc. of ice water, while cooling by means of ice. Thereby a white flocculent precipitate is obtained which is dissolved in ether. The etheral solution is then shaken successively with 5% aqueous sodium carbonate solution and with water, is dried and the ether is evaporated. The remaining oily residue exhibits a clear golden-yellow color and fluorescence on testing its solution in concentrated sulphuric acid by means of an ultra-violet lamp (quartz lamp) in contrast to the starting material which fiuoresces bright blue in such a solution.

This product is purified by fractionated crystallization from aqueous methanol, in which operation if necessary it is treated with active carbon or the like. It then exhibits in concentrated 121.5 C. crystallizes in soft, shiny and greasy laminae. It is the diacetate or the'dihydroiollicle hormone of melting point l'l2-l73 C. and having the following structural formula:

H 000 CHI customary manner in six equal portions at defi-. nite time intervals.

The second compound which melts at 21c- 213 C. crystallizes in the form of granular coarse aggregates of crystals. It is the monoacetate of the dihydrofollicle hormone of melting point 172-l73 C. the alcohol group in the five carbon ring being esterified. It has the following structural formula:

This preparation exhibits when assayed under the same conditions as mentioned above, a considerable physiological effect which amounts on subcutaneous application to 20 million mouse units per gram.

Instead of acetic acid, other acids may be used such as propionic acid, butyric acid, benzoic acid and the like. Hydrobromic acid may be replaced by hydrochloric acid, especially in gaseous form, concentrated surfuric acid, toluene sulfonic acids, or other acids or even acid salts, such as zinc chloride and the like.

The separation of the esteriflcation products into the mono and the diacyl compounds may. be carried out also by means of other methods as described above. For instance, the crude product obtained on evaporating the thereal solution ofthe reaction products is preciptated from its methanolic solution by addition of water whereupon the crystalline precipitate is carefully lixiviated with hot methanol. Thereby the diacetate is first dissolved while the monoacetate remains undissolved. Both acetates may he further purifled by recrystllisation from dilute methanol whereby the diacetate crystallises in shiny needies and the monoacetate in small needles. The former may also be recrystallized from dilute acetone and the latter from acetic acid ethyl ester, thereby forming coarse crystals.

' Of course, other changes and variations in the reaction conditions may be made by those skilled in the art in accordance with the principles set iorth herein and .in the cl annexed hereto.

' What we claim is:

i. A method for the production of acyl compounds of @twdi'ofollicle hormone which comprises treating the drofollicle hormone with acylating agents m the presence of stro acids as catalysts in addition to the said acyiatlng agent, whereby a reaction takes place with the flormation of acyl derivatives or said dihydrotolhole l I 2. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofoliicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presence of strong acids as catalysts in addition to the said acylating agent while maintaining the temperature below room temperature, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone.

3. A method for the production of'acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presence of acid catalysts taken from the class consisting of hydrobromic and hydriodic acids, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone.

4. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presence of strong acids as catalysts in addition to the said acylating agent. allowing the mixture to stand and pouring the same into cold water, whereby acyl derivatives at said dihydroiollicle hormone separate out.

- 5. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presenceof strong acids as catalysts in addition to thesaid acylating agent, allowing the mixture to stand and pouring the same into cold water, whereby, acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone separate out, dissolving said product in a water-immiscible solvent and then evaporating said solvent.

6. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofoilicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presence of strong acids .40 agent, allowing the mixture to stand and pouring as catalysts'in addition to the said acylating the same into cold water, whereby acyl. derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone separate out, dissolving said product in ether and then evaporating the ether.

7. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormonewith glacial acetic acid in the presence of strong acids as catalysts in addition to the said acylating agent, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone.

8. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with glacial acetic acid in the presence of acid catalysts taken from the class consisting of hydrobromic and hydriodic acids, whereby a reaction takes 'place with the formation of acyl derivatives of wherein R is an acetyl group or E.

. iii. The monoacetic acid ester of the follicle hormone having the following structural formula:

H OOOCH:

having a melting point of 210--213 C. and showing a blue fluorescence in concentrated sulphuric acid.

11. The diacetic acid ester ,of the dihydro-' follicle hormone having the following structural formula:

H OOCCH:

having a melting point of 12o-121.5- c. and

a showing a blue fluorescence in concentrated sulphuric acid. 12; Acyl compounds of the dihydrofollicle hormone having the following structural formula I Htwherein R is an acyl group.

13. Compounds according t9 claim 12, in which R is an acyl group containing more than two 7 carbon atoms.

14. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle' hormone which oomprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with.

f acylation, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dlhydrofollicle hormone.

- 15. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with free organic acids as acylating agents in the presence of acid catalysts in addition to said acylating agents, said catalysts being substantially anhydrous and of sufllcient acidity to promote the acylation, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone, the acyl group being. first introduced into the 17 position.

16. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dih'ydrofollicle hormone with free organic acids in the anhydrous state as acylating agents in the presence of acid catalysts 'in' addition to said acylating agents, said catalysts being substantially anhydrous and of sufflcient acidity to promote the acylation, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofolliclehormone.

17. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with acylating agents in the presence of acid catalysts taken from the class consistingof aromatic sulphonic acids, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydrofollicle hormone.

18. A method for the production of acyl compounds of dihydrofollicle hormone which comprises treating the dihydrofollicle hormone with glacial acetic acid in the presence of acid catalysts taken from the class consisting of aromatic sulphonic acids, whereby a reaction takes place with the formation of acyl derivatives of said dihydro- I follicle hormone.

19. The monopropionic acid ester of the'dihydrofollicle hormone having the following structural formula v 

